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Are there any reported cases of ivermectin toxicity in humans from 2020 to 2025?
Executive summary
Reported human cases and surveillance data show clear increases in calls and clinical reports of ivermectin exposure and toxicity during the COVID-19 era (2020–2025), particularly tied to misuse of veterinary formulations and high-dose off-label use; poison control centers and toxicology groups documented large spikes in exposures and some severe neurologic and gastrointestinal adverse events [1] [2] [3]. Regulatory and medical bodies (FDA, American College of Medical Toxicology, CDC/AMA reporting) warned that high doses or veterinary products can be dangerous and that clinical trials do not support ivermectin for COVID-19 [4] [2] [5] [6].
1. A visible surge in reports to poison control and clinicians
Multiple reports document a sharp rise in calls to poison control centers and clinical case reports of ivermectin exposures in 2020–2021 after public discussion of ivermectin for COVID-19; one analysis found a 245% jump in reported exposure cases from July to August 2021 at U.S. poison centers [1], and the American College of Medical Toxicology noted several patients became ill using ivermectin formulations to prevent or treat COVID-19, including severe toxicity [2].
2. Who suffered toxicity — causes and common formulations implicated
The spike in toxicity reports is tied mainly to misuse: people ingesting veterinary formulations (designed for large animals) or taking much higher-than-human doses. Veterinary products are highly concentrated and can contain nonpharmaceutical excipients not studied for humans, raising overdose risk [2] [5]. News reporting during 2020–2025 linked overdoses to neurological and gastrointestinal symptoms among people who consumed these products [3] [2].
3. Clinical spectrum reported: from nausea to severe neurologic events
Clinical descriptions across toxicology literature and guidance note a spectrum of adverse effects from inappropriate ivermectin use: gastrointestinal upset (nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea), headache, dizziness, visual disturbances, hypotension or tachycardia, skin rashes, and—less commonly but importantly—central nervous system effects such as altered mental status, seizures, coma, hallucinations, and tremors in severe cases [2] [7] [8]. Toxicology case series have described neurologic adverse events even when reported doses did not always appear to be overdoses, though confounders exist [9].
4. How often did severe outcomes or deaths occur? — available evidence
Available sources document increased exposures and some severe toxicity and morbidity, but do not give a single, universal global tally of deaths caused by ivermectin in 2020–2025 within the provided reporting set. National-level surveillance and toxicology groups reported “several” severe cases and morbidity related to misuse [2], and poison center activity showed large relative increases in exposure calls [1]. Comprehensive mortality counts or a consolidated worldwide case series are not provided in these sources; available sources do not mention a consolidated global death count from ivermectin poisoning for 2020–2025.
5. Regulatory and public-health responses
Regulators and medical organizations uniformly warned against using ivermectin to treat or prevent COVID-19 outside trials. The FDA explicitly said it has not authorized ivermectin for COVID-19 and warned that taking large doses can be dangerous [4]. The American Medical Association and CDC issued advisories noting veterinary formulations pose significant toxicity risk and that calls to poison control rose markedly [5] [6].
6. Conflicting views and contested narratives
Some groups and individuals argued that ivermectin is generally safe in humans and that certain reported poisoning cases were exaggerated; advocacy sites and proponents pointed to its long history and low toxicity at approved doses [10] [11]. However, professional toxicology organizations and regulatory bodies documented real harms from inappropriate use and warned that formulations for animals are particularly dangerous [2] [4]. The tension reflects differing emphases: proponents highlight safety at indicated human doses [11] [12], while toxicologists emphasize risks from overdose and veterinary products [2] [5].
7. Limits of the available reporting and what’s missing
The assembled sources document spikes in exposures, case reports of severe toxicity, and public-health warnings, but they do not present a single, centralized count of all ivermectin toxicity cases or deaths worldwide from 2020–2025; available sources do not mention a global consolidated case tally [1] [2] [4]. Detailed epidemiologic breakdowns by dose, formulation, and outcome are present in some studies and toxicology registries but are not fully compiled across all jurisdictions within these documents [9] [2].
8. Practical takeaway for readers
Ivermectin is approved and generally safe at specified human doses for parasitic infections, but misuse—especially taking veterinary products or high doses—produced a measurable surge in poison-control calls and documented severe adverse events during 2020–2025; regulators and toxicologists advise against off-label use for COVID-19 outside clinical trials and caution clinicians and the public about the risks [4] [2] [5].